A Dark Light On The Widowspeak

The slow-burning Widowspeak have garnered a lot of praise for their debut self-titled record (out on Captured Tracks), which is kinda weird because I have been listening to this album for a while before it seemed to pop up on the radar. Its funny when something that bubbles along suddenly reaches boiling point, yet its difficult to define exactly what it is about the band that makes it so. Maybe its the hushed, melancholic croon of Molly Hamilton that reels the punters in; maybe its the insular starkness that permeates the instrumentation, a soundtrack made for hot, dusty nights out the back of nowhere, with only a candle, a pack of cigarettes and a bottle of liquor to light up the darkness. It could even be the unexpected sunniness that breaks the clouds in the middle third, 'Gun Shy' and 'Hard Times' allowing for a more languid state to scrub out those self-conscious dumpster blues. But above all, Widowspeak talks of experiences in the darker stages of relationships that would prove to be unhealthy if it wasnt for having a guitar close at hand, all dealt with via a deftness of touch that is bewitching. These tunes all up barely touch the half hour too. Its a worthy release, and is merely the beginnings of something special, as their performances alongside the likes of Vivian Girls can attest.

Widowspeak - Nightcrawlers
Widowspeak - Puritan